Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey (22) is tacklesd by Los Angeles Rams cornerback Aqib Talib (21) and free safety Eric Weddle (32) during the first half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Brian Blanco)
Los Angeles Rams safety Taylor Rapp (24) reaches to tackle Carolina Panthers wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud (14) during the first half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Brian Blanco)
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Carolina Panthers outside linebacker Shaq Thompson tackles Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley (30) during the first half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Brian Blanco)
Los Angeles Rams running back Malcolm Brown (34) is congratulated by center Austin Blythe (66) and wide receiver Robert Woods (17) following Brown’s touchdown against the arolina Panthers during the first half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Brian Blanco)
Carolina Panthers middle linebacker Luke Kuechly, left, and outside linebacker Shaq Thompson (54) tackle Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (18) during the first half an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Brian Blanco)
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay looks on during the first half an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Brian Blanco)
Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey (22) is tripped up while Los Angeles Rams free safety Eric Weddle (32) and defensive back Nickell Robey-Coleman (23) move in to tackle during the first half an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Brian Blanco)
Carolina Panthers cornerback Javien Elliott (23) reaches to tackle Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Robert Woods (17) during the first half an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff (16) passes while Carolina Panthers defensive end Mario Addison (97) rushes 4during the first half an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Brian Blanco)
Los Angeles Rams outside linebacker Clay Matthews (52) and linebacker Bryce Hager (54) tackle Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey (22) during the first half an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)
Carolina Panthers wide receiver D.J. Moore fumbles while Los Angeles Rams inside linebacker Cory Littleton (58) and linebacker Bryce Hager (54) scramble to recover during the first half an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – SEPTEMBER 08: Christian McCaffrey #22 of the Carolina Panthers runs onto the field during player introductions before their game against the Los Angeles Rams at Bank of America Stadium on September 08, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – SEPTEMBER 08: Cam Newton #1 of the Carolina Panthers runs onto the field during player introductions before their game against the Los Angeles Rams at Bank of America Stadium on September 08, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – SEPTEMBER 08: Christian McCaffrey #22 of the Carolina Panthers hurdles over Eric Weddle #32 of the Los Angeles Rams and is brought down by Cory Littleton #58 of the Los Angeles Rams in the second quarter during their game at Bank of America Stadium on September 08, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – SEPTEMBER 08: Jared Goff #16 of the Los Angeles Rams with the ball in the first quarter during their game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on September 08, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – SEPTEMBER 08: Cam Newton #1 of the Carolina Panthers with the ball in the first quarter during their game against the Los Angeles Rams at Bank of America Stadium on September 08, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – SEPTEMBER 08: A general view of the national anthem and flag before the game between the Carolina Panthers and the Los Angeles Rams at Bank of America Stadium on September 08, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – SEPTEMBER 08: A general view of game action between the Carolina Panthers and the Los Angeles Rams during their game at Bank of America Stadium on September 08, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – SEPTEMBER 08: John Johnson #43 of the Los Angeles Rams tackles Christian McCaffrey #22 of the Carolina Panthers during the first quarter of their game at Bank of America Stadium on September 08, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – SEPTEMBER 08: D.J. Moore #12 of the Carolina Panthers leaps for the ball in the first quarter during their game against the Los Angeles Rams at Bank of America Stadium on September 08, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – SEPTEMBER 08: John Johnson #43 of the Los Angeles Rams tackles Christian McCaffrey #22 of the Carolina Panthers during the first quarter of their game at Bank of America Stadium on September 08, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – SEPTEMBER 08: Jared Goff #16 of the Los Angeles Rams rolls out against the Carolina Panthers during the first quarter of their game at Bank of America Stadium on September 08, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – SEPTEMBER 08: Head coach Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams watches his team play against the Carolina Panthers during the first quarter of their game at Bank of America Stadium on September 08, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
Christian McCaffrey of the Carolina Panthers hurdles over Eric Weddle of the Rams and is brought down by Cory Littleton in the second quarter during their game at Bank of America Stadium on September 08, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Weddle was injured on the play. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – SEPTEMBER 08: Robert Woods #17 of the Los Angeles Rams evades Javien Elliott #23 and Eric Reid #25 of the Carolina Panthers during the first quarter of their game at Bank of America Stadium on September 08, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
Robert Woods of the Rams evades Javien Elliott and Eric Reid of the Carolina Panthers during the first quarter of their game at Bank of America Stadium on September 8, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
Jared Goff of the Rams warms up prior to their game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on September 08, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Rams are unbowed but bloodied.
First things first: The Rams survived their initial brush with a Super Bowl hangover and won a challenging season opener Sunday, beating the Carolina Panthers 30-27 at hot and humid Bank of America Stadium.
They led 13-3 at halftime on a five-yard touchdown run by Malcolm Brown and 49-yard and 56-yard field goals by Greg Zuerlein, and added a 1-yard run by Brown, a 5-yard Jared Goff-to-Tyler Higbee pass and 27-yard Zuerlein kick in the second half.
Then they held off a Carolina comeback.
But the game left some doubts about the NFC champions’ carefully protected and loudly proclaimed good health.
Eric Weddle, the veteran safety signed in the offseason, left the game on a cart and didn’t return after taking a knee to the helmet as Carolina’s Christian McCaffrey hurdled to a five-yard gain in the second quarter. Weddle lay immobile, then sat up, bleeding from a laceration to his head. Weddle was being evaluated for a possible concussion.
Todd Gurley, the running back whom head coach Sean McVay had said would face no play limit in Week 1, was outgained by backup Malcolm Brown in the first half.
Gurley carried five times for eight yards and caught one pass for four yards in the first 30 minutes, hardly erasing the mystery surrounding the condition of his left knee.
He made a bigger impact in the second half, although he continued to take series off.
On the Rams’ first series after halftime, Gurley took a handoff from Goff and slashing 25 yards to the Panthers’ 11. That set up Zuerlein’s third field goal of the afternoon, putting the Rams ahead 16-3.
In the fourth quarter, Gurley gained 41 important yards on four carries in the 57-yard drive to a Goff-to-Tyler Higbee five-yard touchdown that made it 30-20 with 6:37 to go in the game.
Gurley finished with 97 yards on 14 carries and four yards on one reception.
Rams-watchers had been trying to guess how many times Gurley would touch the ball. In 2018, he averaged 18.3 carries (for 89.4 yards) and 5.8 passes thrown his way (for 41.4 yards) in the 14 games he played. Those numbers were higher, though, before the coaches began to limit his touches — and held him out of the last two regular-season games entirely.
And it was natural to wonder if the decision to hold starters out of the four pre-season games would leave the Rams rusty and mistake-prone.
It was the Panthers who made more errors early and the Rams took advantage.
But a block of a Johnny Hekker punt by Carolina’s Jermaine Carter Jr. nearly turned the game around, allowing the Panthers to pull within 23-20 with 13:10 to go.
After the Rams extended the lead again, a missed Zuerlein field goal attempt gave Carolina the ball at their own 32 and they drove to an Alex Armah touchdown dive to make it 30-27 with 1:58 to go.
